Supporters of the bill say it would extend critical civil rights protections to more students. But opponents say it ignores parents' rights in schools and could lead to confusing situations for some children.
House Democrats are using an education spending bill to address concerns about arming teachers directing Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to issue guidance on the issue. Could they have gone further?
A spending bill that would provide nearly $76 billion to the U.S. Department of Education was approved by a key House committee on Wednesday.
Charter schools would take a nearly 10 percent cut in the House appropriations bill, a sign that disdain for charter schools has grown as a political force among Democrats.
Supporters for curtailing racial and socioeconomic segregation in American public schools say the federal government should take an active role in funding, oversight, and in other areas.
House Democrats, who took control of their chamber at the start of this year, will be eager to grill Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos about the president's proposal to cut her budget, and more.
Senators Tom Cotton, Ben Sasse, and Tim Scott want more options for children in families connected to the military, but a similar proposal failed to advance last year.
Democrats have made clear their deep concerns about the practice; experts say that while the use of restraint and seclusion is rare in public schools, the practices disproportionately impact students with disabilities.
Democrats are hoping to capitalize on interest in repairing and upgrading school facilities by moving the bill along quickly, but it still faces a difficult path ahead.
Democrats and their witnesses stressed the need for more funding for teacher salary increases and school infrastructures, but Republicans were skeptical this approach would help students.
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